Sail slide fastener



AprilZI, 1964 v. KANSER 3,129,685

SAIL SLIDE FASTENER Filed. Nov. 21, 1960 y- 9 26 .Hr

INVENTOR. VINCENT KANSER United States Patent 3,129,685 SAIL SLIDE FASTENER Vincent Kanser, 59 Forest Ave, Glen Ridge, NJ. Filed Nov. 21, 196i), Ser. No. 70,676 12 Claims. (Cl. 114-1138) The present invention relates to marine hardware and, more particularly, to an improved sail slide fastener.

Heretofore the edges of sails were provided with a reinforcing bolt rope or wire stay. In order to aflix the reinforced edge of the sail to the mast and the boom of the sailboat, flanged tracks were first secured to such mast and boom, as by screws. A plurality of sail slides which ride on the flanged tracks were then secured to the edges of the sail in spaced relation by means of slide fasteners.

Recently the reinforcing bolt ropes (which rot) and the reinforcing wires (which rust) for the sail have been dispensed with. The edge portions of the sail are now reinforced with a cloth tape (such as a nylon, Orlon or Dacron tape). This cloth tape covers both sides of (and is sewed to) the edge portion of the sail.

Nylon is the generic or common name for a series of polyamide resins made by the polymerization of the hexamethylenediamine salt of adipic acid. Orlon is a registered trademark owned by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & (30., Wilmington, Del. and is a synthetic fiber made principally from polyacrylonitrile. Dacron is a registered trademark owned by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Del. and is a synthetic fiber made by the condensation of dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol.

When conventional sail slide fasteners of the prior art (which are secured to the tape reinforced edge portion of the sail at one attachment point) are employed with the tape reinforced edge portion of the sail, such conventional sail slide fasteners are oscillatable about (and longitudinally movable with respect to) the attachment point and eventually tear loose from the edge portion of the sail.

While it is still possible to attach the sail slide to a grommet disposed in the tape reinforced edge portion of the sail by means of either an attaching ring and cord or by the cord alone, this manual attachment operation is time consuming and hence expensive from the labor standpoint.

A general object of the present invention is the elimination of the dilficulties and defects of the conventional sail slide fasteners by the provision of an improved sail slide fastener which is adapted for permanent attachment to a tape reinforced edge portion of a sail; which will not tear loose from such edge portion; and which can be quickly and economically attached to the edge portion.

The aforesaid object of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing an improved sail slide fastener for attaching a sail slide having a strap to a tape reinforced edge portion of a sail, the sail slide fastener comprising a head portion for receiving the strap and adapted to permit the strap to freely reciprocate and rotate therein. The head portion terminates in a pair of longitudinal legs for reinforcing the tape reinforced edge portion. A first securing means is provided adjacent the terminal portions of the legs to secure the legs to the tape reinforced edge portion. A second securing means disposed on the legs between the head portion and the first securing means is operable to further secure the legs to the tape reinforced edge portion and to prevent oscillatory and longitudinal motion of the sail slide fastener about the first securing means as a pivot.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of one embodiment of the improved sail slide fastener of the present invention prior to its attachment to a sail;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary side-elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the legs of the sail slide fastener shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is another side-elevational view showing the sail slide fastener of FIG. 1 secured to the tape reinforced edge portion of the sail with the sail slide disposed in the head portion of the sail slide fastener;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevational view of the sail slide fastener and tape reinforced edge portion of the sail along the line III--III of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGS. 4-9 are fragmentary side-elevational views, similar to the upper portions of FIG. 2, showing alternative embodiments of the first securing means with FIG. 8 showing an intermediate step in the attachment of the means shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 10, 10A and 10B are side-elevational views of alternative embodiments of the second securing means;

FIG. 11 is a side-elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but on a reduced scale, of a further alternative embodiment of the sail slide fastener, with the reinforcing stitching removed, for clarity, from portions of such figure where the stitching covers the sail slide fastener and with the sail slide omitted;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 of a further alternative embodiment of the sail slide fastener, with the sail slide and portions of the grommet and edge portion omitted for clarity;

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the sail slide fastener shown in FIG. 12, along the line XIIIXIII of FIG. 12 in the direction of the arrows with portions of the grommet cut away for clarity.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 2 (but on a reduced scale) of a wire or rod type sail slide fastener similar to the fastener shown in FIGS. 1-3.

Although the sail slide fastener of the present invention is broadly applicable for use with jib slides and sail slides, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with sail slides and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawing, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, an improved sail slide fastener of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10.

This improved sail slide fastener 10 is formed from a metal strip (suitably stainless steel) and has a generally cylindrical head portion 12 for receiving a strap 14 (FIG. 2) of a sail slide 16. Such head portion 12 is adapted to permit the strap 14 and hence the sail slide 16 to rotate limitedly therein parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head portion 12 and to also oscillate limitedly in such head portion 12. Alternatively, the head portion 12' (shown in FIG. 1) may be provided with either an elliptical or ovalized cross section (not shown) or such head portion 12 may be formed as a hollow body having a square or rectangular cross section.

As shown in FIG. 1, the head portion 12 terminates in a pair of legs 18 and 20. These legs 18 and 20 reinforce a tape reinforced edge portion 24 of a sail 26 (FIG. 2) and are angularly disposed about a longitudinal centerline AA (FIG. 1) of the sail slide fastener 10.

The leg 18 is provided with a locking aperture 22 near its outer end, which aperture 22 forms a part of a first securing means for securing the legs 18 and 20 to the tape reinforced edge portion 24 (FIG. 2) of the sail 26. Between the locking aperture 22 and the head portion 12, such leg 18 is provided with an inwardly projecting comically-shaped male protuberance 28p (as viewed with respect to the longitudinal centerline AA, FIG. 1) and an outwardly projecting conically-shaped female protuberance 30s, which protuberances 28p and 30s form a part of a second securing means for further securing the legs 18 and 20 to the tape reinforced edge portion 24 and for preventing oscillatory and longitudinal movement of the sail slide fastener with respect to the point of attachment of the first securing means to the tape reinforced edge portion 24. The subscript p indicates that the associated protuberance operates as a point and the subscript s designates that the associated protuberance is a hollow socket for reception of a registering pointed protuberance.

An outer end 32 of the other leg (FIG. 1) is bent laterally inwardly at 34 to register with the locking aperture 22 in the leg 18 and the width of such outer end 32 is reduced, as shown in FIG. 2, to permit insertion of such outer end 32 through the locking aperture 22. In order to permit insertion of the outer end 32 through the tape reinforced edge portion 24, such outer end 32 is pointed at 36. This pointed outer end 32, together with the locking aperture 22, form the above mentioned first securing means.

Between the bend 34 in the leg 20 and the head portion 12 such leg 20 is provided with an inwardly projecting conically-shaped male protuberance p (when viewed with respect to the longitudinal centerline A-A, FIG. 1). This protuberance 30p registers with and cooperates with (as hereinafter explained) the female protuberance 30s on the leg 18. Such leg 20 is also provided with an outwardly projecting conically-shaped female protuberance 28s, which similarly registers with and cooper ates with the male protuberance 28p on the leg 18. It will be understood that the pointed protuberances 28p (on the leg 18) and 30p (on the leg 20) are dimensioned to fit into the protuberances 28s (on the leg 20) and 30s (on the leg 18) respectively with the edge portion 24 pierced by the pointed protuberances 28p and 30p and securely wedged therebetween.

In order to secure the sail slide 16 to the tape reinforced edge portion 24 of the sail 26, the leg 18 is first inserted into an aperture 38 in the sail slide 16, which aperture 38 is defined by the strap 14 and the body of the sail slide 16 so that the strap 14 is seated in the head portion 12. The tape reinforced edge portion 24 of the sail 26 (having a thickness equivalent to an opening between the legs 18 and 20) is picked up by the operator, and the leg 18 slid under the tape reinforced edge portion 24 until an edge 42 of the edge portion 24 is aligned with the opening 40 and so that such leg 18 is perpendicular to the edge 42. Using a compressive tool, such as a pliers (not shown), and exerting equal inward pressure on both legs 18 and 20, the point 36 is driven through the tape reinforced edge portion 24 and through the locking aperture 22 until the legs 18 and 20 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis AA, FIG. 3. The pointed outer end 32 is then bent upwardly over the sidewall of the aperture 22 to the position shown in FIG. 3, where the legs 18 and 20 are locked together and with the tape reinforced edge portion 24 wedged between the legs 18 and 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sail slide fastener 10 is secured by the first securing means (comprising the pointed outer end 32 and the locking aperture 22) to the tape reinforced edge portion 24. The second securing means (disposed between the first securing means and the head portion 12 and comprising the mating protuberances 28p and 28s and 30p and 30s) further secure such sail slide fastener 10 to the edge portion 24 and prevent oscillatory or longitudinal movement of the sail slide fastener 10 with respect to said first securing means.

To further securely lock the legs 18 and 20 to the edge portion 24, a piercing tool (not shown) having a pyramidal (four faced) operating point may be driven through the mating protuberances 28p and 28s and 30p and 30s.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1A, these mating protuberances 28p and 28s and 30p and 30s may be replaced by pierced protuberances 31, formed in legs 18 and 20' by the above-mentioned piercing tool (not shown). The four pronged edges of each pierced protuberance 31 bite into (but not through) the edge portion 24. These pierced protuberances 31 may be arranged in spaced relation either on the longitudinal axis of the sail slide fastener 10 with two such pierced protuberances on the leg 20' and with one on the leg 18, or they may be disposed in a spaced triangular, square or rectangular arrangement on the legs 18' and 20.

Alternative Embodiments of First Securing Means Referring to the alternative embodiments of the first securing means shown in FIGS. 4-9 and, particularly to FIG. 4, it will be understood that the locking aperture shown in FIG. 4 may comprise the open slot 22a in the end of the leg 18a. The pointed end 32 on the other leg (not shown) is then bent downwardly over the bottom side wall of the open slot 22a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the laterally extending single pointed outer ends 32 (FIGS. 1-3) and 32a (FIG. 4) may be replaced by two substantially parallel vertical outer ends 32b, the pointed ends 36b of which are bent outwardly over the parallel sidewalls of the locking aperture 22b. The locking aperture 22b is identical to the above described locking aperture 22a, shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6 the locking aperture comprises a rectangular or square hole 22c with pointed ends 360 (similar to pointed ends 36b, FIG. 5) bent outwardly over the side walls of such locking aperture 220.

The locking aperture shown in FIG. '7 comprises a pair of open locking slots 22d cut in the side wall of the leg 18d. The pointed ends 36d (similar to pointed ends 36b, FIG. 5, and 36c, FIG. 6) are, in this case, bent inwardly over the inner side walls of the locking slots 22d.

As shown in FIG. 8, the outer ends 32 (FIG. 1-3), 321) (FIG. 5) etc. and associated pointed ends 36, 36a etc. are replaced by a hollow cylindrical rivet like protuberance 44 mounted on the leg 20 (not shown in FIG. 8). This protuberance 44 has an inwardly bevelled forward cutting edge (FIG. 8) to facilitate its insertion through the tape reinforced edge 24 and through a circular locking aperture 22e in the leg 18e. The forward cutting edge of the protuberance 44 is then peened over the side walls of the circular locking aperture 22e (FIG. 9).

Alternative Embodiments of Second Securing Means As shown in FIG. 10 the second securing means may comprise mating serrations 48 and 49 on the legs 18g and 20g respectively. These mating serrations are either transversely disposed across the face of the legs 18g and 20g, as are the serrations 48a in FIG. 10a, or they are disposed on the edge of the legs 18g and 20g and spaced apart as are the mating serrations 48 and 49 shown in FIG. 10b.

It will be understood that the alternative securing means shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 may also be employed as the second securing means.

Further Alternative Embodiments Shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 As shown in FIG. 11, the legs 18h and 2011 (of the sail slide fastener 1012) may diverge away from the center line B-B" (FIG. 11) of the fastener 10h at their junction with the head portion 12 and be disposed on opposite sides of the tape reinforced edge portion 24 of the sail 26. A first and second securing means on each leg 18h and 28h (which securing means each comprise pairs of pointed ends 3611) are inserted through the tape reinforced edge portion 24 and bent either inwardly toward the center line of the respective leg (as shown in FIG. 11) or outwardly therefrom (not shown).

A wire or rod type sail slide fastener 10k (FIGS. 12 and 13) is adapted for use with a grommet 50 in the tape reinforced edge portion 24 of the sail 26. An eye 51 (projecting above the bottom of the grommet 50 and terminating in a pair of parallel back legs 52 and 53) is disposed on the back side (FIG. 12) of the edge portion 24. The legs 52 and 53 extend to the edge 42 of the edge portion 24 and carry axial loops 54 which constitute the head portion 12K. One front leg 55, extends (from one loop 54) up the front of the edge portion 24 (FIG. 12); passes over the bottom edge of the grommet 50 and through the eye 51; and is bent upwardly (over the top of the eyelet 51) to provide a first securing means. Another front leg 56 projects from the other loop 54 diagonally across the front side of the edge portion 24 (away from the other front leg 55) and has its hooked end 57 inserted through the edge portion 24 and bent over against such sail edge 42 to provide the second securing means. Between the grommet 50 and the edge 42, the front leg 55 and back legs 52 and 53 may be compressed together (by pliers, not shown) against the edge portion 24 to further lock the fastener 10k to such edge portion.

Wire r Rod Sail Slide Fasteners It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the sail slide fastener (FIGS. 1-3) may be formed of wire or rod, as is the fastener Itln (FIG. 14). The leg 18 (FIGS. l-3) may be replaced by a 'U-shaped member 57' (FIG. 14), the legs 57" of which terminate in two loops 58 constituting the head portion 1211. Back legs 59 project from the loops 53 and are provided with V-like projections 60 which are inserted through slits (not shown) in the sail edge 24 and bent over the lower portions of the legs 57" of U-shaped member 57' to form the second securing means. The upper portions of the rear legs 59 are inserted through the edge portion 24 and bent over the upper portions of the legs 57" of U- shaped member 57 to form the first securing means.

Additionally, the female elements (such as the locking apertures 22, FIGS. 1, 2 etc.) on the leg 18 etc. and the male elements (such as pointed outer end 32, FIGS. 1 and 2, etc.) may be reversed.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an improved sail slide fastener which can be permanently, quickly and economically afiixed to a tape reinforced edge portion of a sail. When the fastener is affixed to the edge portion, such fastener will not tear loose from such edge portion.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred embodiment (and alternative embodiments) have been illustrated and described in detail it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:

1. In combination, a sail including a reinforcement along an edge thereof, a sail slide, and a fastener connecting said slide to a portion of said reinforced edge, said fastener comprising a pair of elongated legs integrally connected at a head portion, said legs being initially formed with a uniform divergence from said head portion and then deformed to lie fiat against opposite sides of said reinforced edge, said head portion being outwardly rounded with an effective diameter exceeding the space between said legs and embracing a part of said slide adjacent said edge, first and second securing means carried respectively by said legs adjacent their free ends and including a member passing through and clamping said legs against said reinforced edge, and further securing means carried by said legs and located intermediate said head portion and said first and second securing means, said further securing means including a pointed member projecting from the body of one of said legs inwardly into biting engagement with said reinforced edge, whereby said fastener is so securely anchored to said reinforced edge as to avoid oscillation about and movement away from said member.

2. For attaching a sail slide to a reinforced edge of a sail, a slide fastener comprising a pair of elongated legs integrally connected at a head portion for receiving said slide, said legs having generally opposed straight flat surfaces initially formed with a uniform angle of divergence in the direction of the free ends thereof, said head portion being bulbous and of a diameter substantially exceeding the combined thicknesses of said legs, the geometrical projections of said legs intersecting at a location inward of the outer extreme of said head portion, whereby when the reinforced sail edge is placed between said legs and said legs are compressed toward each other, clamping pressure is exerted against said edge by extended opposed lengths of said legs, first and second securing means carried respectively by said legs adjacent their free ends and including a member adapted to pass through and to clamp said legs against the reinforced edge, and further securing means carried by said legs and located intermediate said head portion and said first and second securing means and including a pointed member projecting inwardly from the body of one of said legs and adapted for biting engagement with the reinforced edge when clamped by said first and second securing means.

3. A sail slide fastener according to claim 2, in which said further securing means comprises a first-pointed member extending inward from one of said legs and a second pointed member extending inward from the other of said legs, said pointed members being staggered and therefore non-registering, whereby each of said pointed members is clamped into independent anchoring relation with the sail edge when said first and second securing means are clamped together.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means comprises a pointed outer end on said one leg, and said second securing means comprises a locking aperture in said other leg, said pointed outer end projecting through said edge portion and said locking aperture and being bent over said one leg.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means includes a pointed member at the outer end of said one leg, and said second securing means is an end slot in said other leg.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means comprises a pair of substantially parallel pointed outer ends on said one leg, and said second securing means comprises an end slot in said other leg, said pointed outer ends projecting through said edge portion and said end slot and being bent over the sides of said end slot.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means comprises a pair of substantially parallel pointed outer ends on said one leg, and said second securing means comprising a locking aperture in said other leg, said pointed outer ends projecting through said edge portion and said locking aperture and being bent over the sides of said locking aperture.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means comprises a pair of substantially parallel pointed outer ends on said one leg, and said second securing means comprises a pair of side wall slots in said other leg, each side wall slot being in registry with a pointed outer end, each of said pointed outer ends projecting through said edge portion and the registering side wall slot and being bent over the side wall of said side wall slot.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first securing means comprises a rivet like hollow protuberance on said one leg, and said second securing means comprises a registering locking aperture in said other leg, said hollow protuberance projecting through said edge portion and said locking aperture and being peened over said locking aperture.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said further securing means comprises a pointed protuberance on said one leg and a registering socket protuberance on said other leg, said pointed protuberance projecting through said edge portion and wedging the latter in said socket protuberance.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said further securing means comprises a plurality of first transverse serrations on said one leg, and a plurality of second transverse serrations on said other leg and registerable with said first transverse serrations, said serrations Wedging said edge portion therebetween.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said further securing means comprises a first pair of serrated ridges on said one leg, and a second pair of serrated ridges on said other leg and spaced from said first pair of serrated ridges, said serrated ridges Wedging said edge portion therebetween and securing said edge portion between said legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 131,174 Marston Sept. 10, 1872 711,234 Seligrnan Oct. 14, 1902 850,899 Born Apr. 23, 1907 1,507,026 McKoun Sept. 2, 1924 1,591,537 Larsen July 6, 1926 1,829,413 Kozlay Oct. 27, 1931 2,097,018 Chamberlin Oct. 26, 1937 2,604,897 Cottor et a1 July 29, 1952 2,858,789 Stearns Nov. 4, 1958 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SAIL INCLUDING A REINFORCEMENT ALONG AN EDGE THEREOF, A SAIL SLIDE, AND A FASTENER CONNECTING SAID SLIDE TO A PORTION OF SAID REINFORCED EDGE, SAID FASTENER COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED LEGS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED AT A HEAD PORTION, SAID LEGS BEING INITIALLY FORMED WITH A UNIFORM DIVERGENCE FROM SAID HEAD PORTION AND THEN DEFORMED TO LIE FLAT AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID REINFORCED EDGE, SAID HEAD PORTION BEING OUTWARDLY ROUNDED WITH AN EFFECTIVE DIAMETER EXCEEDING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID LEGS AND EMBRACING A PART OF SAID SLIDE ADJACENT SAID EDGE, FIRST AND SECOND SECURING MEANS CARRIED RESPECTIVELY BY SAID LEGS ADJACENT THEIR FREE ENDS AND INCLUDING A MEMBER PASSING THROUGH AND CLAMPING SAID LEGS AGAINST SAID REINFORCED EDGE, AND FURTHER SECURING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LEGS AND LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID HEAD PORTION AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECURING MEANS, SAID FURTHER SECURING MEANS INCLUDING A POINTED MEMBER PROJECTING FROM THE BODY OF ONE OF SAID LEGS INWARDLY INTO BITING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID REINFORCED EDGE, WHEREBY SAID FASTENER IS SO SECURELY ANCHORED TO SAID REINFORCED EDGE AS TO AVOID OSCILLATION ABOUT AND MOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID MEMBER. 